Batman Crossing Worlds
by Theodore Barrington
Summary: This is my first fanfic. It’s about a version of Batman that is a little like the Christian Bale version and the current comics who meets the early Adam West Style version of himself. My incarnation has allies like Superman and enemies like Riddler, Joker
1. Chapter 1

I've been crouching here in the cold night time air on this roof for the last fifteen minutes, beginning to cramp up

Part One

I've been crouching here in the cold night time air on this roof for the last fifteen minutes, beginning to cramp up. But I'm used to it. If my source was correct, those lowlifes will arrive any minute. Well, Commissioner Gordon hasn't been wrong yet. There they are now. Three of them, dressed in clothes that are far too baggy. What are they called? 'Gangstas'. Huh, what would they know about organized crime? And why do they always conduct their business in a building with a skylight? I never new there were so many abandoned warehouses in Gotham. Looks like your standard illicit drug trade, third this week. My work is never done. I plunge through the glass and land between them. I swear one of them wet himself, and to be honest, dropping in like this gives me a thrill. Alfred would disapprove my acrobatics. I'm still healing from my last encounter with Bane and I wince as a stabbing pain lances through my chest. But I push it aside.

"Holy #!," screams one. "What is that?"

"Who cares?" replies another. "Get him!"

Sometimes I just wish they could go peacefully. Still, the sensation of my boot slamming into the soft flabby stomach of a scumbag gives me a little satisfaction. His friend tries to hit me with a baseball bat that must have been hidden nearby. The swing is clumsy and I easily dodge it then slug him with a straight left. He's still on his feet so I strike him in the solar plexus. I turn to the third guy that has been hanging back. He snaps into a forward stance. "I'm warning you man, I'm a black-belt." Fine with me. This ought to be interesting. He lashes out and I block each of his punches. He's not bad, but he's not great either. I wait until he's off balance then dart in past his guard and grab his shirt.

"You really shouldn't have tried that!" I growl. I can see fear dancing in his eyes. I guess an angry Batman is not something that exactly instils hope into the hearts of mankind. I'm not like Clark. For a moment I hesitate. Am I going to far? Should I really be giving people panic attacks? Is the cape an cowl just another of many ways for me to get a rush? And then my mind goes back to _that_ night all those years ago…

No! Must not dwell on the past now, what's done is done and I must focus on the task at hand. My unworthy opponent is struggling to wriggle out of my grip and hit me, so I drive my elbow into his chin. As he crumples to the ground, I realise that someone else has entered the building.

"Hey Joey, what's going on?" asks the fourth member, then he sees me. Cursing he pulls a pistol from the his waistband. But I'm faster and hurl a bat-rang which knocks the gun right out of his hands. He runs out of the door. I sigh and quickly truss up his friends for Jim. Racing out to the streets, I climb into my Bat-mobile and take off after him. It's pretty simple finding his bright yellow convertible. Not a very low profile vehicle for someone who wants to cruise under police radar. His car is fast, but thanks to Wayne Enterprises, mine is equipped with one of the biggest and most powerful engines in existence. Definitely one of the perks for this job. Plus, he's a lot more nervous then I am which gives me another advantage. He's more likely to make mistakes. I'd better stop him before we get to an area with heavy traffic. It's about now that his luck runs out. There's road works up along this street forcing him to swerve to avoid a collision. Since I'm cutting off his only route of escape, he climbs out of his car and runs. Good. I'm in the mood for a chase. I pursue him into a construction site. He's pretty quick on his feet and I cannot run my fastest with my injury. I hear his ragged breathing a just ahead, he's terrified now. I round a corner in time to see him disappear over the fence. Suddenly there is a bright flash of blue light, followed by a bloodcurdling scream. I vault over the fence and see my quarry sitting down, quite stunned. Someone else is lying there, with what looks like smoke rising from his form.

"Are you alright mister?" I ask. He stands up.

"Don't worry about me citizen, I'll shake it off."

I stare at him, mouth open. Not just because he sounds like a character from some detective movie from the fifties, but he looks quite familiar. He's wearing grey skin-tight lycra and has a bright yellow utility belt. A dark blue cape and cowl with two little horns and matching gloves. He also has an yellow and black insignia which I recognize instantly. From the looks of things, I think he's just as confused by my appearance too. The drug dealer manages to get his tongue working. "Who are you freaks?"

"I'm Batman," says the newcomer and strikes a heroic pose.

"You can't be, I'm Batman!" I answer, staring at him in disbelief. My friend from the underworld seizes the opportunity to make an exit. Before I can do anything, the other 'Batman' whips out an aerosol can and sprays it in his face following up with an impressive uppercut.

"Bat-mace," he explains and re-holsters it. Then it strikes me. This fruitcake must be another one of these geeks who think they can be me. I haven't seen any lately. Like that one who had the armour with nipples. Time to intervene before he gets himself hurt.

"That was quite brave of you," I say in what I hope is a kind tone. Friendly, genuine warmth is not my strong suit. "But you could get yourself into a lot of trouble."

"Yes, but that's the price one must pay for justice I think," the imposter replies. This guy is obviously a hardcore fan.

"You should leave this game to the professionals."

"Oh yes? Well Commissioner Gordon seems to think I do a good job."

"Who are you? And don't tell me that you're Batman!"

"Bruce Wayne, millionaire playboy."

Okay, this just became very serious. He knows my true identity. I grab him and push him up against a wall.

"How the hell did you find that out?"

"My you are quite the dark one. Quite Anti-social."

"How much else do you know?"

"I know why you do what you do. You do it for them."

"What?"

"Thomas and Martha Wayne. Your parents."

"How to you know all this?"

"It's quite simple really," he shrugged, "I'm you."


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

Part 2

Alfred looks up when I come into the Bat-cave. "Ah, master Bruce. I trust you had an eventful night?"

"Just rosy Alfred."

"I saved some dinner for you. Poached salmon and rice."

Of course he had. He's a saint.

"Thanks. I'll have it in a moment." I tell him about my run in with the imposter.

"Did he say how he got here?"

"He told me some story about attending a scientific demonstration that Wayne Enterprises had funded, when the Joker attacked. As he fought it out as Batman, some machinery exploded and the next thing he knew he was where I found him. He really believed that he was me."

"Did you ever consider that perhaps he was telling the truth?"

"Of course not Alfred, that is impossible. Besides the man was a nutcase."

"Well there's only one way to find out. Did you happen to take a blood sample from him?"

I tell my faithful butler that I had. It's become a habit of mine lately.

"I was going to run some tests to see if he has some kind of illness."

Alfred says nothing, but gives me that infuriately knowing smile and leaves.

At first I don't believe the test results. I check and re-check them but they all point to the one conclusion. His DNA is just like mine. In fact it is mine. I sit back in my chair and brood. Maybe the other man is me, but from some other alternate world. As fantastic as this seems, I think it's the only feasible explanation. Another world where everything is like a television show. After all, it's like the guy stepped right out of a comic book. If so, how did he get to this world?

Wait, that's it! When his version of the Joker interrupted the demonstration and the machine exploded, it must have somehow have propelled him from his world to mine! Now that I think about it, it doesn't seem so unrealistic. I mean, Clark's from another planet. When most people think about Superman, it seems pretty unbelievable. Even I find it hard to get my head around from the few times we've worked together. Alfred returns to collect my dinner plate and I share my theory.

"Well that might explain things master Bruce. But where is the gentleman now?"

"I took him to the police station, for them to keep an eye on him! I have to go find him!"

I shove through the doors of the station. The man at the desk glares at me, obviously one of those police men who thinks I'm a menace. I ignore it and ask for the other Batman.

"We got him out the back. Follow me."

We reached a cell and the policeman stops in surprise.

"He's escaped! Gone!"

I realise that he must have picked the lock and gotten out the back way. It's what I would do. I run back to the Bat-mobile and call Alfred.

"He's gone! He gave them the slip!"

"That's not all master Bruce. I just received a call from Commissioner Gordon. Apparently the Penguin has kidnapped Batman!" he says.

"The Penguin must have been about to pull a heist and the other Batman tried to stop him. But this is a new and probably much harsher world than he's used to. He wouldn't have had a chance. Ask Jim if he was able to trace the message."

"At once sir."

"I have to go after him."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

So here I am. On the roof of a building belonging to one Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, or as he calls himself, the Penguin. I love the feeling of the rain tumbling from the night sky, bouncing off my armour and making the powerful beam of my penlight flicker as I pry the cover open on the ventilation shaft. I should work fast. As tranquil as it is out here (Like the calm before the storm), Alfred would kill me if I caught pneumonia. There, I can crawl through now. Perhaps one day villains will also make sure that their ventilation shafts are too small for a man to sneak through! After a while, I look through a grill and spot four guards standing around talking. Typical. Makes my job easier though.

"You heard? Penguin's captured Batman!"

"No way! No-one can catch him!"

"He's right. I was down there before and saw him. He's all tied up!"

The guards chuckle at the lame joke.

"I saw him too. He looks different. Apparently he tried to use 'bat-rope' and 'bat-mace' on the guys that found him but got mobbed. They say was babbling on about his duty to society and calling them evil-doers. I think he finally lost it."

This is my cue. I push the grill open and drop in a smoke grenade.

"What the…"

POW!

As the thick black smoke seeps into the hall, surrounding the henchmen, I slip through the opening and take them out. With my infrared goggles, I can see them even though they can't see me. I leave one still standing so that I can question him. His eyes widen with fright when he sees me after the hallway clears.

"I…I thought they caught you! Y…y… you're tied up!"

"Wrong. Where's Penguin?"

"He'll kill me if I told you!"

I roll my eyes. Like I haven't heard that one before.

"And I'll tear you apart if you don't," I say, tightening the grip I have on his collar.

"B…b… bottom floor! Underground lab."

I hit a nerve in his neck and he collapses like a wet rag. Setting him down on the floor, I search him for anything useful. After dragging them into and locking them in an empty janitors closet, I call the lift. As it descends, I think about the little device I left attached to a fuse box.

I can just picture the look on the guards face when the lift door opens, with no-one inside. When they do open, I hear the heavy footsteps of an approaching guard. Timing is everything. Using the steady increase in their volume, I count mentally count down and then make my move. Swinging down from my hiding place above the door, my feet connect with the guard's chin flooring him instantly. I notice that the big set of steel doors at the end of the corridor requires the correct sequence of numbers on the small panel to open rather than a key card. I find myself wishing that I had brought a electronic code breaker but I'll have to use the good old fashioned method. Out comes my black-light torch and I use it to find the most recent fingerprints on the panel. 3-7-8-8-3-5-9-0. The significance of the number is not of interest to me. I'm now in a large room, metal walkways and ladders everywhere. I estimate that it is a five story drop to the bottom at the least. Slipping from shadow to shadow, I manage to avoid the less than observant guards. There is a giant spotlight shining in the middle of the room, which I hadn't paid much attention to. On the ground floor, a large metal tank filled with water. In the water appears to be some kind of penguin species. That seems to have been genetically modified to have teeth. Yes. _Teeth_. But what really gets my attention is my counterpart dangling from a chain above the tank.

"Lovely creatures aren't they?" Cackles a voice from the other side of the room. "I modified them myself. They are carnivorous and very vicious." More lights buzz on and I realise that I'm staring at Oswald Cobblepot himself. "So we meet again Batman," he chuckles. "I must admit, when the men said they caught you, I was almost convinced. But this sorry specimen here," he gestured to the other Batman, "Seemed to lack the skill that you did. A cunning ruse, but not cunning enough my friend. And now I can use it against you." It clicks into place almost instantly. He thinks that the other version of me was supposed to be some kind of a decoy, even though his intrusion was coincidental.

"I took you down before Penguin and I'll do it again."

"Perhaps. But I believe that I have the home advantage." With a flourish, at least a score of henchmen rush out from below, aiming automatic weapons at me. Damn. This really makes things more difficult….

_How will our caped crusader get out of this mess? Stay tuned for the quite-possibly-not-so-exciting conclusion. Hopefully coming sometime soon. Feel free to let me know what you think…_


	4. Chapter 4

The Penguin gave another cackle and pulled a lever, gradually lowering the second Batman towards the tank. "Alright boys, take him out. On my count."

I tense my self.

"Three"

Guns are made ready.

"Two"

Fingers about to squeeze the triggers.

"One," I yell as I press the button on my small remote. The device I planted earlier works like a charm. A small device I designed which sends electrical charges pulsing through the main frame of a building, short-circuiting all electronic systems. Similar to an EMP. I have about two minutes until the back-up generator kicks in and the lights go on. That's about all I need. In one quick motion I slip on a pair of night vision goggles. Hurling myself over the railing, I land on the floor below. Two very confused guards are blundering around in the dark. I crescent kick the first guard then slam a palm into the chin of the second. Dashing along the walkway I notice that the chain has stopped lowering the alternate me. Now I just need to figure out how to save him. Suddenly the lights flash back on, blinding me. The generator kicked in earlier than I thought! My goggles don't help much either. Fortunately the guards were not expecting it either. I close my eyes and focused on using my other senses to guide me. Hand on a wall, I slowly make my way over to where I last saw the lever. I hear a someone approach and hurl myself at them, my shoulder driving into their abdomen and am rewarded with a grunt as all the air exits from his body. Oswald is less than happy.

"Get him you idiots! Get Him!"

Concentrating on the sound of his voice, I sling first one batarang and then another in his direction.

"Ha, you missed," taunts the Penguin. But I didn't aim for him. The first went straight for the chain, hanging over the tank. The chain snapped in two sending the other Batman plummeting down. The second, which happened to be three times bigger than the others, was embedded in the side of the tank. Seeing this, the other Batman shifts his weight so that he lands on the batarang. I don't have time to see what happened to him, as the man I knocked out before groans and staggers to his feet. I jab him in the gut then backhand him across the face. I hear the whir of helicopter blades and with a heavy thump, Oswald Cobblepot lands in front of me. He deactivates his umbrella and pulls out a second.

"If you want something done right…" he mutters, flicking a switch. A four inch blade extends from the tip and he lunges at me. My eyesight is still a little hazy, but I can still make out the weapon. Avoiding the tip, I slap the umbrella, sending it back, hitting Oswald in the face. He's not the best fighter I've ever encountered.

CRUNCH!

I'm tackled from behind. Damn! It's that henchman again. What does it take to keep him down. I try to reach round and grab him behind the neck, but I'm stopped by the pain shooting through my chest. The old wound again! The guard has me pinned down with a choke hold on me. Already feeling light headed...things are growing dim.

"Nice try Bats, but the Penguin triumphs again," crows the little man and prepares to bring the blade down on me.

"Not so fast you ruffian!" It's the other Batman! He hits the Penguin with a powerful straight left, grabs his shirt and throws him against the wall. Out comes his can of bat-mace and points it at the guard pinning me down. Instinctively, a hand goes up to defend himself, and I make my move. Flicking a switch on my mask, a jet of smoke streams from a concealed tube. As my opponent chokes and splutters, I managed to get my legs up under his chest and using my elbows for leverage, fling him off me. The other Batman reaches a gloved hand down towards me and helps me up. Another wave of pain hits me.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," I say and take some painkillers from my utility belt. "What about all the other guards?"

"Oh they all fled. Can't you hear all the sirens?" I realise that I can now hear the police cars outside. Good old Alfred. He must have contacted Commissioner Gordon.

"We should leave," I say.

***

An hour later, we are both standing near the construction site that we were at earlier that night.

"So it's true then. You are me from some kind of alternate reality. Fascinating."

He agreed. "I must admit it has been interesting seeing another Bruce Wayne, fighting for justice. Although your methods seem very different to mine."

"How do you plan on returning home."

"Well my theory is that a certain friend of mine will have found a way to get the machine up and running again. Hopefully the same energy source that brought me here will take me back home." As he says this, a familiar blue light begins to form in the alleyway.

"There we are. I think your world is a little too dark for my taste." He takes a step towards the light then turns to me. "Remember why you fight. Remember your cause. Yes It's lonely work, but I have a feeling that it won't be for much longer. Goodbye. Say hello to Alfred for me."

The aura grows brighter and brighter until I can no longer bear to look at it. And then it is cut off as abruptly as someone switching out a light. Speaking of which, the sun will be coming up soon. I'd best get back to the cave and have a nice rest. Alfred will have to cancel my appointment tomorrow with the mayor. As I begin to trudge back to the Bat mobile –thinking about the strange encounter- I hear another voice call out to me.

"Holy teleport Batman! Where am I?"

_What the hell….._

THE END


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